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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pop — soda
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wake — a trail
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bore — to tire
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. board — to get on
  14. pop — music
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. key — the most important part
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com